Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Solskin: A Photographic Tour of Copenhagen

In Danish, the word for "sunshine" is "solskin." Which I love--especially since I've acquired my first legitimate sunburn in years, and my sun-kissed skin is peeling off like I'm shedding some sort of weird, epidermal snakeskin. ANYWAY. Copenhagen has been bathed in the solskin lately, to the point where I feel terrifically guilty if I don't spend at least an hour outdoors, taking advantage of the vitamin D and the opportunity to regain my freckles. The city is beautiful, and I have stocked up on quite a lot of mental and real images to get me through the winter months (which could start tomorrow, you never know, so it's good to be prepared). Here are some sommerferie pictures of lovely Copenhagen, wrapped in solskin...

When everyone went to Roskilde, the normally popular Meatpacking District (Kødbyen), one of my favorite nighttime places, was totally empty. And cool, in a creepy, dead-animal kind of way.

I love Vesterbro--I am quite happy to be moving so close to it very soon!--and this is one of the reasons why: Optical illusion art on the side of a building.

Entering Nørrebro, I see one of my favorite signs, only huge-sized. Despite the reputation that precedes it, I adore Nørrebro. People need to give it another shot, I think.

When I moved here (almost a year ago, already!) my dad and I stayed on this block in Nørrebro. We passed this building, adorned with painted trees and chickens, every day. It is apparently a kindergarten. And because I would love a chicken-covered building, it is now my favorite kindergarten.

I keep my eyes peeled for weirdness at all times--I probably look ridiculous walking the streets because I constantly stop to ponder DONG Energy boxes and telephone poles and the backs of streetlights. Sometimes though, I just look up and see a cheeky, chalky creeper. See, THIS is why Nørrebro is wonderful. It's full of stuff like this.

Whenever I go to Tivoli--which is quite often, thanks to my friend's Wild Card for me!--I check the temperature. This is an emotional picture for me, because four or five months from now, I will fondly recall the days of summer, when that beautiful red neon light surged above 20 degrees...

Behind Tivoli is Central Station, and here you can see just absolute masses of bicycles. J'adore.

And in front of Tivoli's main entrance: fantastic old posters. This is one of my favorites.

My current 'hood, Christianshavn, is amazing in the summer. I will miss living in this lovely corner of Copenhagen; I take a book, with a pastry or coffee, and read by the canal all the time. And my awesome friend Constantine and I are becoming regulars at Sofiekælderen.

And there are roses EVERYWHERE. Seriously, I feel like a fairy princess; I leave my apartment and see roses bushes all over my block, I bike surrounded by these beautiful flowers and their fallen petals on the sidewalk...all that's missing is a prince and unicorns. And sometimes peanuts.

In Frederiksberg, there is a magical tree called "Suttetræ," and it is pacifier heaven.

As a former thumbsucker myself, I loved this tree...though I do hope there's not an equivalent sort of heaven for retired thumbsuckers.

Islands Brygge is absolutely wonderful in the summertime. Plus it's full of stuff like leftover railroad tracks, and old beams and tram cars and things like that. I love it.

Solskin and building remains on Islands Brygge.

Plus some of the most beautiful sunset views in Copenhagen...which, coincidentally, go really well with friends, summer salad, white wine, and jazz music by someone called "Odessa 5 goes X-Large."